After our last post we took the Metro to our hotel in Montmartre. It was located right by a bunch of markets (some with crabs so fresh they were still moving) and cafes, so one of our first stops was to buy a crepe. We got one with bananas and Nutella, which seems to be a very popular choice in France. It was really good, and we hope to learn how to make some ourselves. We wanted to visit the Sacre Coeur, a church at the top of the hill, and after walking all over we eventually realized it was just up the hill from where we were staying. The area around it was like a fair, with street performers, artists painting Parisian landscapes and caricatures, and lots of ice cream shops and creperies. We toured the Sacre Coeur, and then spent time outside on the steps surrounding it, where there was a panoramic view of much of Paris. We returned to this spot again at sunset to watch the city light up as it grew darker. We also spent some time making some local friends.
Getting to Amsterdam was a confusing series of events. We couldn't get a direct ticket, and the ticket we got did not mention that the train we boarded would eventually stop and we would have to make a transfer. Eventually we figured it out, and we arrived at Centraal station in Amsterdam around 2pm. We checked into our hostel, the Flying Pig Downtown, where there is a full bar in the lobby (which is open for business everyday at 10:30 a.m.). There are travelers drinking there at all hours of the day, and there is always someone trying to catch up on sleep during the day so they can go out at night. In a way, it just feels like we're staying in the dorms at I.U. again, except everything is co-ed. We have met people here from Great Britain, Canada, South Africa, and Thailand, as well as the states. A group of people we met invited us to join them going to a live sex show, however we passed on that invitation in favor of a self-guided tour in the red light district.
Today we're headed to the train station to make reservations for the remainder of our trip. Hopefully we can avoid any more complications with transportation. Then we're looking forward to renting some bikes and checking out a variety of museums. The list of possibilities includes: The Van Gogh Museum, The Heineken Museum, The Amsterdam History Museum and the The Anne Frank House. We're also really looking checking into taking a boat ride on the canals, they are absolutely beautiful!
~Jordan and Melissa
Miles walked (Montmartre)- 5.52
Steps taken- 11688
Miles walked (Amsterdam)- 7.8
Steps taken- 20547
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